Chris Williams, a junior from West Frankfort, IL majoring in civil engineering, shares a photo opportunity with Gray Dog between classes. Chris, a 2005 Presidential Scholar, recently returned from Taiwan after competing in the 8th International Creativity-in-Action Design Competition. His team won an "Outstanding in Technology Integration" award. |
Many foundations are interested in community and public service activities in which you have participated. You should begin now creating a résumé that lists the names of the organizations, your affiliation and responsibilities, and the dates that you took part in the organization or the activity. This list may include such things as serving as a volunteer for blood drives, assisting a candidate for public office in an election campaign, working at the Special Olympics, or helping with a "clean-and-green" effort.
Many of the foundations are looking to see if you have a history of community service, that you are not simply jumping on a bandwagon. Try to find areas that might interest you. For instance, if you like working with your hands, Habitat for Humanity might be a good choice. If you enjoy children, working with an organization that promotes literacy for grade school or underprivileged children might suit you very well.
As a student, you can make a valuable contribution to the community while gaining challenging educational experience. As an Agent of Change, you reflect the powerful intersection of service, community, and social change.
